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46 



The Florists' Rcvkw 



AnoDST 19, 1920 



every effort toward the production of 

 high-grade stock. It used to be that 

 we had misgivings as to how far we 

 could finish our plants so as to keep 

 within the amount we thought we could 

 receive for them. I think now we need 

 have no anxiety in this respect. It is 

 easier to sell the best stock than the 

 poorer grades and it should be our ob- 

 ject to produce the best in our power. 

 The hit-or-miss idea of going about 

 things, once so common, is exploded. 

 With proper care there should be no 

 missing and quality should result. 

 Around Christmas and Easter the best 

 material always is taken first and the 

 poorest grades go last of all. To get 

 the full advantage of our labor, we 

 should aim to grow only the highest 

 quality of stock. In these days the cost 

 of fuel ought to be sufficient reminder 

 that we cannot pull through on low- 

 grade products and we must produce 

 high quality to command the prices we 

 are compelled to ask. We should keep 

 our houses working day and night, as 

 the interest on our investments does 

 not cease when houses are empty. An 

 empty house is a decided expense. The 

 florists' industry has taken its place 

 with the biggest industries in the coun- 

 try and we must improve and advance 

 with the times. 



Heating Economies. 



The fuel situation is particularly 

 grave and occasions us all much worry. 

 A discussion on this subject is on our 

 program for one of our sessions and I 

 hope we may then get a clearer view of 

 the situation. To me it looks as though, 

 in the near future, we shall have to 

 look for a substitute for coal as fuel 

 unless conditions change materially. 



All growers, in the last three or four 

 years, have had to look closely to their 

 production cost. In the operation of a 

 range of glass the heating cost is a 

 subject occasioning much thought and 

 in working out conclusions we are left 

 largely to our own theories and ex- 

 periences, although occasionally, as at 

 our conventions, we find opportunities 

 to discuss with our brethren our pet 

 ideas in regard to economies which we 

 believe we can effect. With many 

 others, I hold the opinion that an im- 

 partial investigation of heating instal- 

 lations and methods of operating them, 

 if properly carried out, might be pro- 

 ductive of a basic system of heat pro- 

 duction, which would entail minimum 

 cost for fuel and would result in maxi- 

 mum efficiency. Through insufficient 

 knowledge many of us suffer fuel wastes 

 which might be avoided. I am quite 

 aware that an investigation such as 

 suggested would, necessarily, be at- 

 tended with considerable expense and 

 would be beyond individual effort, but 

 perhaps an organization such as the 

 8. A. F. could evolve a plan whereby 

 investigation would become possible and 

 I recommend that a committee of three 

 or more be appointed to consider ways 

 and means for promoting it. 



New Organizationfl. 



Since the establishment of our society 

 various other societies have been formed 

 for the advancement of horticulture, 

 mainly along special lines, or in the in- 

 terests of certain flowers, and some of 

 these organizations are affiliated with 

 our own body. At this convention there 

 is a movement to establish another or- 

 ganization different in character, but 

 with objects, according to its proposed 

 constitution and by-laws, identical with 



those of our own society. This new 

 organization, if perfected, is to serve 

 as a parent body to a number of local 

 organizations. I refer to the proposed 

 National Flower Growers' Association. 

 Originally, I believe, this association, 

 promoted within our own ranks, was to 

 be formed for the purpose of provid- 

 ing means for obtaining publicity for 

 flowers through the inauguration of local 

 publicity campaigns, a portion of the 

 funds collected for this purpose to be set 

 over to the use of the national publicity 

 campaign for national publicity, just as 

 local organizations in western New 

 York, Texas, St. Louis and one or two 

 other cities are doing. While no dis- 

 couragement should be given to any 

 such movement, I am of the opinion 

 that none of the functions of our own 

 society should be abrogated. As a na- 

 tional body, we should be able to take 

 care of all the industrial problems likely 

 to arise in the promotion of floriculture 

 commercially. 



It is not suggested that local prob- 

 lems cannot best be solved by local 

 bodies, but surely one national or parent 

 body might be considered as sufficient. 

 I am not convinced that the work laid 

 out for the proposed new organization 

 is outside the scope of this, the parent 

 organization, although I am now and al- 

 ways have b^en in favor of local bodies 

 in affiliation with the S. A. F. Do not 

 let us rock the good old S. A. T. boat 

 any more than is necessary. We are 

 proud of our offspring, specializing as 

 they do along particular lines, but I 

 am not sure that another organization 

 with objects almost identical with our 

 own can do more than split our work 

 and lead to rivalry which in the end 

 might be disastrous to one or both. 



Publicity. 



The matter of our publicity campaign 

 will be taken up at a later session of 

 this convention and therefore I need not 

 refer to it, although I must express the 

 gratitude I feel, indeed that we all 

 must feel, for the work accomplished 

 and the responsibility assumed by our 

 publicity committee and others who have 

 been actively engaged in it. Witheut 

 a doubt, our industry generally has 

 derived considerable benefit from the 

 campaign, and in the establishment of 

 our slogan, "Say It with Flowers," we 

 have an asset of incalculable value, pro- 

 vided we are not sparing in our efforts 

 to perpetuate it. In my opinion the 



time is coming when we shall need even 

 greater publicity than we are now pro 

 viding; therefore, let us not relax in our 

 publicity work, but rather seek to ex- 

 tend it in every way possible. 



Flower Days. 



It used to be that Christmas and 

 Easter were the chief flower days for 

 florists; but, in response to our own ef- 

 forts to advance it. Thanksgiving is 

 now an important day for sales of 

 flowers and Mothers' day business has 

 exceeded our fondest anticipations. We 

 ought to be able to make Memorial day 

 business better than it has been; the 

 public is demanding and buying better 

 stock for this day than was formerly 

 the case and if more such were avail- 

 able a greater business would be done. 

 Florists catering to cemetery trade 

 should take notice of this and give more 

 heed to the quality of their stock; it 

 is to be regretted that the quantity of 

 poor and almost worthless plants offered 

 in some sections for this day should oc- 

 casion the disgust of would-be buyers. 

 It is possible that through publicity we 

 can establish one or two more flower 

 days. Armistice day, for instance, and 

 later, when our government closes its 

 war period by a declaration of peace, we 

 might also feature Peace day — and what 

 can better symbolize peace than flowers! 



Garden Clubs and OaJlantry' 



The activities of a large number of 

 garden clubs have been closely observed 

 by many of us and we have appreciated 

 the efforts of these organizations to in- 

 crease interest in floriculture and hor- 

 ticulture. Their influence is widespread 

 and the encouragement they give to 

 amateur gardening deserves all the 

 recognition we can give it. The educa- 

 tive value of their work is great and 

 we must look upon them as valuable 

 aids in our own work looking to the 

 advancement of horticulture in America. 



I should not conclude my address 

 without a word in praise of our valuable 

 auxiliary, the Ladies ' Society of Ameri- 

 can Florists. Their efforts to make our 

 conventions attractive to our wives and 

 ladies who accompany us to these 

 gatherings are welcomed by all of us 

 and I hope their activities will continue 

 for many years. It is pleasing to know 

 that the affairs of their organization are 

 in good shape, and tJiey have our best 

 wishes for a happy reunion at this con- 

 vention. 



IN ADDITION to the briefer reports 

 on the William R. Smith memorial 

 and the work of the tariff and legislation 

 committee, which are published else- 

 where in this issue, William F. Gude 

 gave account of his activities as Wash 

 ington representative of the S. A. F. In 

 this capacity he has been during the last 

 year, as in previous years, exceedingly 

 busy and wholeheartedly devoted to the 

 society's interests. As he stated, 

 "while the last year has not been as 

 strenuous as the former two or three 

 years, still there was at all times 

 enough to keep your representative out 

 of mischief." Mr. Gude cited enough 



matters called to his attention to prove 

 his statement beyond possibility of 

 doubt. As he said, all of these were at 

 the time fully treated in the columns of 

 The Review and do not require repeti- 

 tion. 



U. S. Chamber of Commerce. 



Mr. Gude told of his attendance, with 

 the other officers of the S. A. F., at the 

 convention of the United States Cham- 

 ber of Commerce, at Atlantic City, last 

 October. Following discussion with the 

 Belgian delegates, the services of the 

 S. A. F. were tendered the Belgian mis- 



[Continued on page 48.] 



